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As my childhood went, literally everyday would’ve me presenting with a new excoriation, swelling or laceration. However, this one was different, a forehead injury, necessitating a visit to the then Georgetown Hospital, in Lamaha Street. Where with wound sutured, and a lollipop rewarded, energies were refocused to the hospital’s pharmacy.
But life is never straight forward, for that grand plan presented a grand flaw, with medicines being nauseating syrups. As a result, a new destination was mapped, the main entrance, where vendors stood with medicine bottles. Thus, the message, those Georgetown Hospital street vendors, count decades, antedating my discovery, breast is forever best.
But this PPP wants us to believe, street vending is an ugliness unique to our shores. However, the truth—It’s pervasive throughout the Caribbean, even in Flatbush Avenue New York.
Draconian PPP
As a result, their recent tyrant demolition had many dumbfounded that the brainless was duly, elected Mayor and City Councillors. But that will be realised when hell freezes over, for the university dropout, better at rigging than raking, doesn’t augur much confidence.
That said, the Lord Mayor and Councillors, duly elected to manage the City’s affairs, enjoy Su level support of the capital many. But PPP, the party of anarchists and insurrectionists, having denied Local Government elections for nearly 20yrs, disregarded bylaws and norms, as they inserted themselves, like a messy colonoscope, into matters that don’t concern them.
Nonetheless, rational we are, concurring that GPHC Emergency Department of sort, should’ve unimpeded ambulances access. However, this to confess, conveniently overlooked by PPP, the vendors aren’t obstructing the entrance or exit to the Emergency Department. For such impediments are inadvertent, of relatives and patients, crowding the Emergency Department environs. Which mean, this to disseminate, of a no braincells PPP constructing a waiting area, smaller than a Sophia shack. Thus, an overspill of the masses, crowd the vicinity, to impede ambulances transporting the critically ill.
Nevertheless, these vendors were providing an invaluable service, with GPHC, again of poor planning, is without a canteen. Thus, the inevitable question, with GPHC without a canteen, and staff inevitably hungered, why destroy their only caloric source?
But cognisant we are, PPP is a registered Money Team, thus reasonable would be the assumption, promised billions underpin their New Market Street demolition. For this postulation is proffered, a PPP businessman with deep pockets, presented a business plan for a GPHC mini-supermarket and canteen. Which meant, for PPP and investor to rake in billions, the vendors had to be robbed of their pennies. Thus explaining, PSC owing the council billions, yet are in celebratory mode, as sledge hammers destroyed history. Which means, equally brutal we must be—Not empowering those who are disempowering us- Boycott the PSC businesses.
Humane PPP
Notwithstanding, the putrid odour of a dead Sugar Industry, dates back two decades. But it took APNU+AFC, 2015 elected, to seek the expertise of internationally renowned Sugar Industry pathologists. However, with assessment, their prognostication was dire— The Sugar Industry isn’t economically viable. And with prognostication came recommendation—Diversification to delay cremation. But limbs amputation is never painless, which meant, forced closures of factories, came with job losses. However, those of lost jobs received handsome severance packages, paired with new job opportunities.
Then came 2020, with PPP installed to maul, selling corroded pipe dreams, of reopening that rightly closed. But that closed still remain closed, even as some opened were unashamedly PPP closed. Which delivered, their uncharacteristic humanity, providing more billions to those who already pocketed APNU+AFC billions.
Therefore of no surprise, with the aroma of green currency filling the air, the farmers were with intractable financial groans. Which once again, PPP remedied with prescribed billions. Thus, the recognition was, the humanity of convenience, only responded to the calls of those, South Asian descent. For if one is of slave blood, and not PPP token registered, then bags of salt are theirs, to suck until lips are blue.
Why?
However, with PPP giving all, including new kidneys to those with a South Asian phenotype, the assumption was, a little pittance for the GPHC vendors, wouldn’t break the NRF coffers? For relocation to an area proximal to the hospital, wouldn’t have taken pepperpot off PPP plates. Better yet, constructing a vendors arcade, with reasonable rental, would’ve seen both rich and poor, consuming baked chicken, on this Sir Isaac Newton’s birthday. But even better, financial grants to the vilified vendors, to invest in another business venture, would’ve ensured Average Joe, the honest worker, could gift his daughter a doll.
But being Black positions us at the bottom of the oil ladder, which meant the GPHC vendors were classed nobodies. However, street vending isn’t limited to us, yet it appears that only we are experiencing the heavy hands of PPP.
Thus, my adventures, on visiting via CJIA, where the EBD Highway would’ve vendors jostling, breakneck speed taxis, Jesus sacrificing their lives to sell crab and water. Surely, that’s head crushingly dangerous, so why isn’t action ever taken? They’re PPP people. Then still on my way from CJIA, my eyes would be arrested by Mon Repos vendors, literally sharing the ECD Highway with rocket speeding minibuses.Thus, once again the question pained me, why isn’t action ever taken? Then I’m reminded, they’re PPP people.
Now the history, street vending is consequential to honest people, in an economy of no job creation, forced to create their own jobs. And it’s for this reason, it’s pervasive throughout the length and breadth of this land. Therefore, rationalising, not with the brain of a genius, I would argue, demolishing those stands, mandated PPP either provide the vendors jobs or monies. But neither is forthcoming.
As a result, the liberty I will take, to enquire of those paid $10,000 to choose the cup. What has PPP done for you? Then of those paid $60,000 for a recording. What is PPP doing for your communities? For elections are with consequence, but unfortunate it’s, the innocent are paying the price.
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